Manufacture of mass transit vehicles and particularly busses can be problematic since there are numerous considerations involved when designing such a vehicle. Passenger comfort is one consideration. Passenger capacity, particularly the amount of seating or passenger locations, on a bus is another consideration. Accessibility for handicap individuals and others is yet another consideration.
In addition to these general considerations, specific regulations have been created by government entities requiring busses to have certain characteristics. For example, certain requirements for dimensions for bus entrances have been developed as well as requirements for providing accessibility to the bus. These regulations or requirements in the U.S., specifically in regards to accessibility guidelines for vehicles, are codified at 36 CFR Part 1192 as amended through September 1998, which are expressly incorporated herein by reference for all purposes and are at least partially summarized below.
In view of the above, the present invention is directed toward a bus that improves upon one or more of the bus design considerations and/or abides by one or more of the aforementioned bus or mass transit regulations.